


Friends (And Girlfriends) Only Setting

by jenstraflintlocked



Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 02:19:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17215190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jenstraflintlocked/pseuds/jenstraflintlocked
Summary: a quick drop in from two space gfs (a repost after a quick edit)





	Friends (And Girlfriends) Only Setting

The TARDIS was mid-flight between the home planet of the Sidhelit, recently liberated from the evil tyrant Morlesmara, and the recreation zone Gruthavil Pon 5, on which, the Doctor assured them, they could get wonderful sorbet and an all-day spa break on their very own private beach. The Doctor was oiling the custard cream lever and attempting to upgrade it, so it could dispense hobnobs as well. Ryan was watching her intently, occasionally asking questions about the TARDIS. Yaz was leaning against a crystal strut, reading a brochure about the Magical Mechanical Museum on Gruthavil Pon 7, occasionally calling out interesting things she read to Ryan. Graham was wandering idly around the console room, hands in his pockets, wondering why sometimes the TARDIS was effortlessly smooth in its travels, and sometimes would yeet them all onto their backsides.

He moved into the small box area by the door which mimicked the interior of a police box and paused when his foot made a splashing noise.

“Hey, Doc. You’ve got a leak.” He shook his boot to rid it of the liquid, but he needn’t have bothered. The fluid had remained in the puddle.

“A what?” The Doctor sprang up from underneath the console, lifted her welding helmet and popped a digestive biscuit in her mouth. She immediately spat it out into a tissue. “Urgh. I always forget they’re only good with tea.”

“There’s a puddle over here by the door.” Graham pointed.

Ryan came to peer over his shoulder. “Two puddles.” He noted.

The Doctor came over to investigate. “Hm. Wonder how they got in here.” She span around, peering intently at the console screen. “Nope. Shields are still up.”

“They’re all shiny. Like an oil spill.” Ryan crouched down to look at himself reflected in them.

“But they don’t stick to your shoe.” Graham gestured at his dry boot.

The Doctor yanked them both back and then went on all fours, peering in depth, her nose almost touching the surface. “Oh!” She backed away, giving a little jump of excitement as she disappeared behind the console. “Oh! I can’t wait for this.”

All of Team TARDIS looked at her, bemused at the way she was hiding from something she couldn’t wait for. As if that was their cue, the two puddles rose up and turned into the forms of two women, dripping water everywhere.

“Whoa!” Ryan stumbled backwards.

“Blimey.” Graham stared at them.

“Doctor?” The black woman asked, giving him a cautious grin.

“Uh…” Graham jerked a thumb towards the console and the Doctor sprang out from behind it.

“Bill! Surprise!” The Doctor bounded over and gave her a hug.

“Oh, you do hugs now?” Bill laughed. “Wait. _You’re_ the Doctor?” she stood back and cast an appraising eye over her. “I like it.”

“Do you really?” The Doctor span round, coat flapping. “I got it for you. After what you said. I thought ‘next time I’ll be someone Bill would like.’”

“I always liked you, you daft alien. You remember Heather of course?”

“How could I forget?” The Doctor gave an awkward wave. “Haven’t seen you since the deadliest fire. How are you?”

“I’m good, thanks.” Heather looked equally awkward.

“I like your new digs.” Bill looked around. “Very new age-y crystal power. I miss all the books though.” She spotted Yaz, still leaning against a crystal strut and looking confused. “New me?”

The Doctor turned around to look at Yaz. “Yup! Well, I’ve got Graham and Ryan as well. My fam.”

“Ahhh.” Bill winced and scrunched up her nose. “No. Doctor. Just no.” 

“I like it.” Yaz came forward to stand by the Doctor.

“Yaz always backs me up.” The Doctor slung an arm around Yaz’s shoulders and squeezed. Yaz smiled at her and folded her arms.

Bill suppressed a grin. “I can see that.” She turned to look at Graham and Ryan. “So, which one is which?”

“I’m Ryan.”  

“I’m Graham.” The elder gent held out his hand and she shook it. He looked puzzled for a second, staring at his now slightly damp hand.

“I’m Bill. This is my girlfriend, Heather. I used to travel with the Doctor.” Bill introduced herself to the new companions.

“Yeah.” The Doctor moved away from Yaz and returned to where she’d been working, snapping the visor of her helmet back down and fiddling with a bolt, mindlessly tightening and untightening it.  

“Why’d you stop?” Yaz asked, missing the weight of the Doctor’s arm. “Travelling with her, I mean. Don’t think I could ever stop.”

“Well,” Bill looked at the Doctor, sat hunched underneath the console, sad and awkward. She shrugged. “I found someone new to travel with.” She leaned towards Heather and gave her a nudge with her shoulder. “You know how it is. Or possibly not. What’re you up to in this corner of space anyway?” Bill hastily changed the subject.

“Well!” The Doctor flipped her visor back up. “We’ve had reports of an American diner flying about the place. Thought it sounded interesting.”

“Sounds more like you got bored on a Sunday afternoon and broke out the Cluedo.” Bill scoffed. “Only the time and space equivalent. Where’s all the alien excitement?”

“Hold on, I thought we were going to Gravelfish Pon 6?” Graham interjected.

“Would’ve thought you’d had enough of that.” The Doctor said softly, ignoring Graham’s interruption.

“S’Gruthavil Pon 5.” Yaz whispered to Graham. “You don’t want to go to Pon 6. S’all shopping malls and over-priced alcohol.” She handed him the brochure.

“Well. Bein’ like this. Puts it into perspective doesn’t it?” Bill shrugged.

“D’you like it?” The Doctor asked, still in that strange soft voice.

“You mean, do I miss bein’ all human?” Bill was suddenly aware of five pairs of eyes watching her intently. “Sometimes. But y’know, it’s easier when you’ve got someone to go with. I miss your lectures though.” Bill flashed the Doctor a wide smile. “Particularly when it was the kind that stopped a massacre.”

“We just stopped one of those. Evil dictator on Sidhelit.” Yaz told them proudly, not showing off at all in the slightest, just wanting to prove they were more than good enough “new me”’s.

“After which, we were actually on our way to a recreational planet.” Graham said pointedly, jabbing his finger at the brochure. Yaz relieved him of it before he bent the pages.

“It’s a string of Juhba-made colonies, not a planet, Graham.” The Doctor corrected him. “D’you fancy coming with?” Her eyes brightened as she suggested it.

“Um,” Bill glanced at Heather and then looked at Yaz, before answering her. “nah. We’re good. Flying social visit.”

“Just dropping in.”

“Well, dripping in.” Bill laughed.

“Hm. How’d you do that anyway?” The Doctor peered at the two of them, scanning them with her sonic. “I’ve still got the shields up.”

“Yeah, so. You’ve got it on friends only setting right?” Bill reminded her. “Still friends, aren’t we?”

“Of course!”

Yaz thought the Doctor was about to cry for a second as she gazed at Bill.

“Ah c’mere you silly old woman.” Bill pulled her in for a hug, squeezing her tight, leaving damp patches on her coat.  

“Be good Bill. Be kind.”

“Always.” Bill reassured her with another grin.

“Well, we’d best be off.” Heath took Bill’s hand.

Bill hesitated and then said “Remember how I said that I’m into women and people my own age?”

The Doctor nodded, a little confused. “Of course. I said. That’s why I…” she gestured to herself.

Bill leaned towards the Doctor and whispered in her ear. “Just thought you ought to know, I’m not the only one who likes women.” She stood back and flicked her eyes almost imperceptibly towards Yaz. The Doctor spoilt all the mysteriousness by turning around to look at Yaz. Bill rolled her eyes. “Just something to think about Doctor.”

“What makes you think I haven’t?” The Doctor folded her arms defiantly. “Thought about it. I mean, I always liked women. Don’t see why that would change.”

Yaz stared determinedly at her brochure, doing her best to not hear what was being said and definitely ignoring the way Ryan and Graham were looking at her.

“Be good then, Doctor. And be kind.” Bill returned the Doctor’s words to her.

There was a moment of blurring and the two women disappeared into two puddles which slipped away under the TARDIS door.

“Right then! Sorbets on Gruthavil Pon 5?” The Doctor bounded back towards the console, hastily flicking her visor down as well as several levers and randomly spinning the egg timer. The TARDIS made a creaking noise of protest at the haphazard piloting.

“Actually, me and Ryan were thinking of checking out Pon 7. Nice mechanics institute thing there apparently, Yaz was saying. Ryan likes that sort of thing, don’t you Ryan?”

“What?” Ryan stared at his grandad in confusion. “You’ve never…”

“Taken enough interest in my grandson’s career. I should be more supportive and what better way to start than exploring an alien institute? Be a learning experience for both of us. A way to bond.” Graham clapped a hand around Ryan’s shoulders and smiled innocently. Yaz gazed at them slack jawed but Graham and Ryan just gave her thumbs up and grins.

The Doctor shrugged. “Looks like it’s just you an’ me then Yaz.”

She stifled a sigh of resignation. “Looks like Doctor.”                 

“You don’t have to.” The Time Lord picked up on the tone of her voice and raised the visor to look at her properly. “If you want to go the institute as well. I’ve never been either.”

“No! I want to.” Yaz smiled to reassure her.

“More time with me?” The Doctor grinned hopefully, placing one hand on the TARDIS go lever and holding out the other.

Yaz placed one hand on top of the Doctor’s on the lever and grasped the Doctor’s outstretched hand in the other.

“Together.” They pulled the lever down.

“Nice to know where we stand in this relationship isn’t it.” Graham whispered to Ryan, observing all. Ryan nodded slowly.


End file.
